Parkinson's disease is associated with toxic clumps of the alpha-synuclein protein in the brain, which disrupt healthy cell communication. Now, a new study shows another way this protein may damage brain cells.

Researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark examined alpha-synuclein oligomers , smaller molecules that also accompany Parkinson's . Using a lab-made cell model, they found these oligomers can open up tiny pores in cell membranes.

These breaches allow molecules to leak in and out of cells, potentially leading to chemical imbalances that may be a significant driver in the progression of the disease .

"We are the first to directly observe how these oligomers form pores – and how the pores behave," says biophysicist Mette Galsgaard Malle.

"It's like watching a molecular

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